1. Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates to the formation of an agglomerate having a liquid adsorbed by carrier components, and more particularly to such an agglomerate wherein the liquid contains unidentified growth factors which are used as animal feed supplements.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art:
The National Research Council has long recognized the existence of unidentifed growth facts (UGF) and in 1960 concluded that marine products, such as condensed fish solubles (CFS) are a major source of UGF. The accumulated evidence leaves no doubt that UGF exists and are of primary importance in promoting growth, reproduction and enhanced storage and utilization of certain vitamins and minerals. Attempts to fractionate, or concentrate, the UGF have been largely unsuccessful and of little economic importance to the animal feed manufacturer. Condensed fish solubles (CFS) in their natural state have been widely acknowledged as one of the most potent sources of UGF available. It has been the goal of scientists to develop a method of converting the CFS to a more convenient dry form and yet retain the original high UGF potency of the liquid solubles.
In the past, attempts have been made to mix these solubles with carrier material such as soy bean hulls because they are inexpensive and adsorptive. Similar organic materials have been used for the same purpose. An example is soy bean meal, which includes the carrier properties of the hulls in addition to a protein element. Dried, ground corncobs have also been used as carrier materials.
Although these materials convert the liquid CFS to a more convenient semi-dry form, it has been found that the adsorbing limitations of these organic materials require utilization of great quantities of carrier material, with respect to the CFS, which increases shipping and handling costs as well as decreases the UGF potency per unit weight. Additional problems of bacteria and mold growth have made it impractical to use the semi-dry material on a widespread basis.
Another prior art approach has been to remove the water content from the CFS in an attempt to obtain the UGF as a powdered concentrate. However, scientists have discovered that by removing the water, the UGF are destroyed. Thus, it is a basic presumption that UGF require moisture in order for the factors to remain stable.
Dr. Ed Nabor, of Ohio State University, conducted tests to demonstrate the destruction of UGF stability when heat is applied to and/or water removed from CFS. In his experimentation Dr. Nabor used heat to dry CFS under the gentlest of conditions, namely a vacuum environment. By reducing the water content of the CFS, a growth assay did not show a corresponding increase in UGF potency on a unit weight basis. Thus, it is apparent that heat and/or the drying process affects the potency or stability of the factors. Similar experiments have been carried out with other UGF sources by Dr. Larry Potter of Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Cornell University, Washington State University and other institutions which have reported the same observations.
Although the foregoing discussion related to UGF in condensed fish solubles, it must be clearly understood that UGF exists in many other organic materials. Thus, the animal feed industry utilizes liquid streptomyces solubles, a by-product from antibiotic production, as a source of UGF. Other sources include distillers' solubles, brewers' yeasts, other yeasts, molds, whey and fermented whey. These sources are utilized because they are plentiful and inexpensive. However, it must be understood that other natural materials, fermentation residues, organic substances and various combinations thereof can furnish the requisite UGF.